Head biting

[Snowywood]

This may sound rather odd, but my smaller Western Hermann tortoise, Belva, wants to bite her sisters head, Hetty, which she's a little bigger. They are both acting normal, active, feeding, bathed and warm. About 30 degrees day and night, am re-doing there home to get temps up to 40 degrees day and night. Has anyone else had or witness this problem before? Belva isn't doing any damage, as Hetty is cleaver enough to duck her head in lol. But I don't want Belva to become a nasty tortoise. Iv already got a nasty musk turtle am losing the battle with and just taken on a handful hamster that needs a lot of TLC :-( any help or advise will be warmly welcomed. Cheers

 

[Tom]

Tortoises are solitary creatures. Belva is telling Hetty, "GET OUT OF MY TERRITORY!!!" Unfortunately, Hetty is unable to leave if you have built your enclosure properly. This will likely escalate, and one day Hetty may retaliate, or Belva may escalate.

This is your wake up call. Separate them now, before any real damage is done. They will each be much happier as the sole rulers of their own territories.

 

[GBtortoises]

Why so hot at night (and during the daytime)? 30c (86f) is too warm for ambient daytime temperatures and definitely much too warm at night. Constant exposure to 40c (104f) will eventually kill them! I'm hoping you just got the conversions wrong or something simple like that.

Is it also possible that your one of your female may be a male instead?

 

[Snowywood]

It's odd, as Belva is normally the laid back one and Hetty goes about her business as normal. No quibbles sharing food, just under the heat.
Sadly their too young to sex. They are breed as females though, not too sure how accurate that is? :-/
As for temp, it's 30c under the heat and between 10-20c out the heat. Reading what the ideal temp is, has said 33c. Also vets have said the same, I'v happily listen to their guidance, as they successful look after there own, and one of them is the vet for the local zoo for many years. Hence why I travel to see them and it's so nice that they don't have a book glued to their hand. At night, it does drop, more to 20c, possible lower, as at the moment they are next to a radiator, snuggled in a towel, I did need to leave it about 30c as Belva was poorly, due to low temps.
I am still learning, I have done my homework on the torts for many months before buying, but I am interested in your views

 

[CactusVinnie]

No Hermanni can be "poorly" due to the "cold" in a house, Snowy!!
Mine are still active at 0*CNight/10*CDay, sunny. Well, just getting out of the bushes and slowly walking to basking areas, but no way "poorly" looking.
Keep in mind that they live in areas with cold winters, may be active even under 10*C, and if "poorly" at 15-20*C minima, when basking spot sounds quite ok, there is surely another reason, and better find out quickly what is it!

You know... as someone once said, "vets are fabulous when about the inside of the tortoise, but never ask maintenance infos from them"...
GB, or even the humble b....rd writing now, is much better source for maintenance info, since we have even healthy babies, not just "looking after them". But if only about basking area under heat, vet is right. Poorly due to cold is not right.

 

[Snowywood]

Well the info iv got from my vets and help from a friend that has kept all sorts of reptiles, has helped and I feel iv a got two happier and healthier torts. Plus my mothers three. Am not going to turn down the heating, special in a cold country. I don't feel this is the problem for Belva's misbehaving.

 

[CactusVinnie]

I just warned you that there is no way a hermanni can be "poorly" due to cold, and better find the real cause. It's not a "just my opinion"-type of reply, it's fact.

"Feeling" about or "happier torts" is so subjective, that is irrelevant... and "healthier", when you told about a "poorly tortoise", kinda don't fit the optimist picture mentioned before... and attributing it to just "cold"... it's 100% a random supposition!

The only situation when such tortoises should be kept warm day and night is during treatment/medication, but if you insist, it's ok... Heat on or off, do as you wish, if you "feel" that, but just feel a little doubt when I tell you that cold- as in an appartment, when basking spot provided during the day- is not the cause of "poorly" aspect, and I presented you how cold it should be to stop a hermanni. But still looking top condition, not poorly.

Please find the real cause; and if you are already a fan of your vet advices, it will be no big deal another question about their field, this time- pathology.
I don't want to make you feel unconfortable or worry, but I can tell you anyone here with some experience think the same. Only not wanting to interfere seeing how decided you are to follow certain advices ("I have done my homework on the torts for many months before buying"), although you also told "I am still learning [...] but I am interested in your views"... wich is somewhat contradictive.

Cheers!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Tom and GB are worth listening to, Snowywood...both are extremely knowledgable, and always quick to help. And I'm inclined to agree that Belva may be a Bela, as that's often how male tortoises show their "interest" in the fairer sex...if so, you'll need to seperate them, or if you want to breed tortoises, get a few more females. A male will pester a single female literally to death, but more females divides up his "interests" enough to allow each female some peace.

And welcome to our little slice of Chelonian Heaven.

 

[CactusVinnie]

Tom and GB are worth listening to, Snowywood...both are extremely knowledgable, and always quick to help.

Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/newreply.php?tid=59121#ixzz2BvJ5nZhP

Truly adorable, dear assistance, our, one and the ONLY ONE, TEEEEERRRRRYYYY !
Thanks for just being you !

Vegetarians, beware!
LOL

 

[pam]

Please Separate them now, before any real damage is done. They will each be much happier as the sole rulers of their own territories. I had the same thing happen with my Russians now I have 4 habitats and they are all happy and thriving